Method of and means for rolling banjo type axle housings



May 30, 1939.

.METHOD OF AND G. SPATTA 2,160,179

MEANS FOR ROLLING BANJO TYPE AXLE HOUSINGS Flled Nov. 23, 1936 4 sheefs sheet 1 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING BANJO TYPE AXLE HOUSINGS G. SPATTA May 30, 1939.

Filed Nov. 25, 1936 4 heets-Sheet 2 m w E G. SPATTA May 30, 1939.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING BANJO TYPE AXLE HOUSINGS Filed 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dwefl 0/" Geozge 5am May 3@, 1939. s. SPATTA 2,160,117

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING BANJO TYPE AXLE HOUSINGS Filed Nov. 23, 1936 4 h t -Sh et 4 mgq m & wwwm Patented May 30, 1939 Q LIETHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING BANJO TYPE AXLE HOUSINGS George Spatta, Buchanan, Mich assignor to Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application November 23, 1936, Serial No. 112,248

10 Claims;

This invention relates to a method of and means for rolling banjo type axle housings, and more particularly is directed to the method of and means for straightening flanges such as those which define the central banjo opening of a housing of this type in order to true these flanges and roll them into accurate parallelism.

In the formation of banjo type housings such as described in my Reissue Patent No. 20,103,

issued September 8, 1936, after the spreading operation which forms the banjo frame portion of the housing, it becomes necessary to true up the flanges which extend radially inwardly and define the central opening into which the differential assembly is inserted. These flanges must extend at right angles to the'axis of the opening and must be disposed in accurate spaced parallel planes.

The present invention contemplates, broadly, a novel method of clamping and straightening these flanges by means of which the flanges are rolled into spaced parallel planes. In carrying out this feature of the invention it is necessary to insure that the axle housing be accurately centered on the machine and be held in fixed position during the rolling operation to insure proper alinement of the rolling mechanism and proper straightening of the flanges. This is preferably accomplished by means of a hydraulic clamping mechanism which engages and centers the banjo portion of the housing to hold the same in fixed position during the operation of the rolling mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a fixture which provides a simplified arrangement for supporting the work during the rolling operation and which can be readily operated by an unskilled laborer.

While the invention is described and illustrated in connection with banjo type axle housings, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may be applied to any rolling or straightening operation upon annular radially extending flanges.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view with por-' tions broken away showing the assembled machine in position for the rolling operation;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in Figure. 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Figure 1 showing the hydraulic actuating mechanism for the clamping members; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the clamping and rolling portions of the mechanism.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the machine preferably comprises a base 5 having leg plates 6 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the under surface thereof, and having converging side plate members 1 extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base 5 and terminating in a vertically extending supporting plate 9 welded or otherwise-suitably secured transversely across the upper ends of the plates 1.

Mounted on the base 5 between the plates 1' is a standard type of electric motor I, which is rigidly secured in position on the base and which has the shaft i2 provided with the pinion gear 53. This gear l3 has meshing engagement with a bevel gear ll having a hub portion l5 having axial sliding keyed engagement to the shaft 56, which. shaft at its lower end is supported in a thrust bearing assembly, indicated generally at I]. A suitable guard i8 is provided across the front of the machine to protect the operator from the gear ll. Mounted on the base 5, forwardly of the plates I are the frame members i9, preferably bolted to the base in any suitable manner and which, at their upper ends, suitably support a table member 20 mounted thereon and 'fixed to support blocks 22 welded as at 23 tothe through the table 20 and anvil 24.

The shaft l6 and head 21 are preferably formed 'integr'al, the shaft it also being provided with.

an annular collar 28 locked thereto and forming an upper stop for a compresnon spring 29 which encircles the shaft l6 and is biased at its lower end about the hub of the gear I. The compression spring normally acts to raise the collar 28 into abutting engagement with the lower end of the socket portion 30 depending from the under surface of the table 2|. This Socket portion 38, as indicated in detail in Figure 4, is provided with a counterbored recess 32 receiving the head portion 21 of the upper end of the shaft I8. The collar 28 is held in flxed 'position on the shaft I6 by means of a suitable locking ring preferably in the form of a split washer. The shaft I8 is mounted for vertical sliding movement within the table 28 and anvil 24 by means of the roller bearing members 38 carried between inner and outer races 34 and 35, respectively, of a bearing assembly disposed between the shaft I8 and the socket portion 38 of the table 28. This bearing assembly is preferably closed at its upper end by a dust washer 38.

Carried in an angularly extending position in the head 21 is a roller and arbor member 48, the roller portion being provided with a beveled head having the tapered surface 42 adapted to have rolling engagement with the internal surface of the banjo side flange 43. The arbor portion of the member 48 is supported adjacent the head 42 by means of the roller bearings 44 carried between the inner and outer races 45 and 48 of the bearing assembly, and held in position at their lower-ends by the thrust washer 41, and at the outer ends by the washer 48 which encircles the arbor immediately adjacent the flared head portion. Lubricant is admitted to this bearing assembly through the lubricant channel 48 provided with a lubricant fitting 58 of standard type.

At its lower end the roller is mounted within a ball bearing assembly 52, the outer race 53 of which is held against a shoulder 54 formed in a counterbored portion of the angularly extending passageway 55 in which the roller 48 extends, and the inner race 56 is clamped in position by the nut 51 carried at the reduced end of the member 48. Lubricant for this hearing assembly is supplied through this passageway 58, communicating with the lubricant fitting 58 extending upwardly through a recessed portion 68 of the lateral periphery of the head 21. A cover disc 62 is sprung into position over the lower end of the member 48 within the counterbored portion 83 of the passageway 55, andis held in position by the snap ring 68 snapped into an annular groove formed in this passageway. This prevents any of the flakes or scale from the housing getting into the bearing assembly and, if any of such flakes do fall into the passageway 83, they can be discharged through the angularly extending passageway 61 formed in the anvil 24 and table 28. Preferably, the portion 88 of the head 21, which is cylindrical in shape and rotates within the counterboard opening 32 of the table 28, is cut away adjacent its lower portion, as indicated at 88, to provide clearance with respect to the shoulder 32 so that upon vertical movement of the shaft l6 no binding of the head 21 within the anvil or table is effected.

The upper end of the head 21 is axially recessed as indicated at 18 to receive the thrust bearing assembly 12, forming a support for the cap member or thrust washer 13 which is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the head 21 over the recess 18 and is supported for rotation by the bearing 12.

Mounted on the supporting plate 8 carried at the upper ends of the plates 1 is a cylinder casting 15, which is secured to the plate 28 by means of the cap screw 18, and suitable interlocking tongue and groove engagement indicated at 11 which alines the casting 15 in fixed position with respect to the plate 8.

The casting 18 includes vertically spaced bracket portions 18 disposed adjacent opposite sides of the cylinder and having suitable bushings 18 disposed therein for guiding the banjo holder bars 88 for reciprocatory movement within the brackets 18. At their upper ends, the bars 88 are provided with reduced stud portions 82 adapted to carry the banjo pressure head 83 which is secured thereto by means of the nuts 84, and which has a central web portion 85 encircling the upper end of the piston rod 88. A stop ring 81 is mounted on the rod 88 by means of the split washer 88 to limit movements of the pressure head 83 with respect to the rod 86 in one direction. A compression spring 88 encircles the upper end of the rod 88 and is biased between the web portion 85 and a collar 88 disposed beneath the lock nut 88 threaded over the upper end of the rod 86. Thus, upon downward movement of the rod 88, the compression of the spring 88 causes the pressure head 83 to move downwardly causing simultaneous downward movement of the rods 88.

Disposed between opposite pairs of the brackets 18 are the piston stuiflng boxes 92 and 83 at opposite ends of the cylinder 94 carried by the casting 15. The boxes are clamped over opposite ends of the cylinder by means of the tie bolts 85 tensioned between flanges 86 and 81 of the stuffing boxes by means of nuts secured to opposite ends of the bolts 85. The cylinder 84 is provided with an internal cylinder sleeve 88 forming a smooth cylinder within which the piston 88 is adapted to reciprocate.

The stuffing boxes 82 and 83 are each provided with axially extending recesses adapted to receive packing I88 comp1'essed about the lateral surface of'th'e piston rod 86 and the piston rod I82 by means of the packing gland nuts I83 threaded into these recesses. A stop collar I84 is positioned about the lower piston rod I82 to limit its downward movement within the recessed portion I85 of the lower stufling box 83. The rods 86 and I 82 are connected to the piston 88 in any usual or desired manner, and are rigidly secured together for conjoint movement. The

lower end of the rod I82 is provided with a head portion II8 which is adapted to engage the thrust washer 13 carried by the rotating head 21 to move the head 21 and shaft I6 downwardly to engage the surface 42 of the arbor 48 on the internal surface of the banjo flange 43.

The bars 88 are adapted to carry at their lower end a banjo holder member II4, each of the bars being provided with a threaded portion H engaged in integral sockets II6 formed in the upper portion of the member II4, whereby the member II4 has conjoint movement with the rods 88. Disposed in the lower end of the member H4 is the banjo clamping portion II1 which extends at a substantially 45 degree angle, and which is arcuate in shape to engage opposite corresponding arcuate surfaces of the banjo for clamping the same in centered position about the head 21. This portion engages the corners II8 of the junction between the upper banjo flange H8 and the web portion I28 of the banjo, thus exerting a downward and centering pressure on the banjo 26 to hold the same in fixed position during the rolling operation with respect to the center of shaft I8.

Considering now the operation of the mechanism thus far described, the spring 28 normally raises the shaft I6 and head 21 to dispose the arbor 48 out of engagement with the lower flange 42 of the banjo as the banjois initially set in position on the anvil 24. Pressure is then admitted through a suitable port indicated at I25 in Figure 3 to the upper end of the cylinder 94, moving the piston 99 downwardly and producing corresponding downward movement of the rods 86 and H12. This causes the cross head 83 to move downwardly under the pressure of spring 88 producing downward movement of rods 80 and corresponding clamping movement of the pressure head H4 about the banjo 26. In centering the banjo with respect to the head 21, the spring 88 provides a cushioning means so that excessive pressure which would tend to distort or damage the banjo is not produced.

At the same time, the downward movement of the rod I02 produces engagement of the head H on the thrust washer I3 to move the rotating head 2'| downwardly with respect to the anvil 24, moving the arbor 40 into engagement with the internal surface of the banjo flange 43. Since the shaft I6 is being rotated through the geared connection from the gear !4 through pinion l3 to the motor, the surface 42 of the roller 40 rolls about the internal surface of the banjo flange 43 and flattens this flange downwardly on the surface of the anvil 24, smoothing the flange and disposing it in a single plane coplanar with the upper surface of the anvil 24.

When the rolling operation has been completed, the port 125 of the cylinder 94 is opened to exhaust, and fluid under pressure is admitted through a suitable port, such as indicated at I26, at the lower end of the cylinder, moving the piston 99 upwardly. This releases the pressure of spring 88 and simultaneously causes engagement of the stop collar 81 with the under surface of the web portion 85 of the cross head 83 drawing the rods 80 upwardly, and thereby raising the pressure head H4 from engagement with the corners N8 of the banjo. At the same time, the rod 502 is moved upwardly releasing the pressure on the thrust washer l3 and-allowing the compression spring 29 to move the head 21 and shaft i6 upwardly, thereby disengaging the roller 40 from the banjo flange 43.

This allows the housing to be removed from the anvil 24 and reversed in position with the straightened flange 43 disposed above the flange H9. The same cycle of operation is then repeated to provide for straightening of the flange H9. Since both of the flanges are straightened with respect to the same planar surface, it is obvious that both flanges will be disposed in parallel planes and thus a uniformly flanged banjo section is provided.

It is obvious that various changes can be made in the construction and design of various parts, and the particular manner of providing for movement of these parts can also be varied within the scope of the present invention. I therefore do not intend to be limited to the exact details shown and described, but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. The method of straightening a radially inwardly extending flange of a channel shaped hoop section which comprises supporting the flange on a planar supporting surface, resiliently engaging the upper periphery of said section for centering said flange in non-rotative position and then producing a rolling pressure on the upper face thereof to force said flange into planar contact with said supporting surface.

2. In a machine for straightening an inturned radial flange of a channel-shaped hoop section, an anvil adapted to support the section, a rotatable work engaging member reciprocably mounted in said anvil within said section and having a projecting roller for engaging said flange, means for pressing said member into rolling engagement with said flange, means for holding said work in centered position on said anvil during the straightening operation, and pressure actuated means common to both said last-named means for initially moving said centering means into position on the work and applying pressurethereto as said pressing means is moved into engagement with said flange, and subsequently producing additional pressure on said pressing means.

3. In a machine for straightening an inturned circular radially extending flange, an anvil having a surface supporting one face of said flange, a shaft reciprocally mounted in said anvil and having a laterally projecting work-engaging roller disposed above said anvil, means for rotating said shaft, centering means, and means for simultaneously actuating said centering means to center the work on the anvil and moving said shaft axially to press said roller into engagement with the opposite face of said flange, said lastnamed means including resilient means providing for relative movement of said shaft and said centering means.

4. A machine for straightening a circular radially extending flange comprising a frame, a supporting anvil for said flange, hydraulically actuated means carried by said frame above said anvil and operable to hold said flange in centered position on said flange, an axially movable rotaable shaft extending through said anvil and carrying a laterally projecting roller, means normally urging said roller away from said anvil, and means operable upon operation of said hydraulic means for moving said shaft axially to force said roller into pressure engagement with said flange.

5. A machine for straightening a circular radially extending flange comprising a frame, a supporting anvil for said flange, hydraulically actuated means carried by said frame above said anvil and operable to hold said flange in centered position on said anvil, an axially movable rotatable shaft extending through said anvil and carrying a laterally projecting roller, said roller moving in a circle upon rotation of said shaft and being mounted for independent axial rotation within said shaft about an axis extending angularly with respect to the axis of said shaft, and means operable upon operation of said hydraulic means after said flange is centered for moving said shaft axially to force said roller into pressure engagement with said flange.

6. In a machine of the class described, an anvil having a-counterbored opening therethrough, a shaft extending through said opening and having an enlarged head portion within the counterbored opening and extending above said anvil, a thrust bearing in the top of said shaft, means disposed below said anvil for normally urging said shaft head outwardly of said anvil, means below said anvil for rotating said shaft, said head portion having an angularly extending passage therethrough opening above said anvil, a roller rotatably supported in said passage and having a laterally projecting roller surface, and nonrotatable means engaging and bearing for forcing said head portion downwardly toward said anvil to move said roller into engagement with work supported on said anvil about said opening.

7- In a machine of the class described having an anvil and roller means rotatably mounted for movement adjacent said anvil to engage work disposed on said anvil, a pressure cylinder disposed above said anvil, a piston carried therein, means resiliently connected to and movable with said piston for centering work on said anvil with respect to said roller means, said last named means including means for pressing said roller means into working engagement with the work on said anvil upon further movement of said piston.-

8. In a machine of the class described having an anvil, a rotatable shaft projecting centrally through said anvil and having laterally oflset roller means, means normally urging said shaft and roller means away from the surface of said anvil, a pressure cylinder disposed above said anvil, a piston carried therein, means movable with said piston for centering work on said anvil with respect to said roller means, said last named means including means for pressing said roller means into working engagement with the work on said anvil.

9. A machine of the class described comprising an anvil for supporting the work, a rotatable shaft projecting through said anvil and carrying a laterally projecting roller, means normally urging said shaft and roller away from the work, pressure operated means including an aligning head for centering said work on said anvil with respect to said shaft and a pressure member for forcing said roller into engagement with the work on said anvil, means connecting said head and pressure member providing relative movement therebetween, and power operated means for rotating said shaft.

10. In a machine for straightening inturned flanges of a channel-shaped hoop section, a supporting frame, an anvil carried by the frame and adapted to support the work, a rotatable work-engaging member reciprocably mounted with respect to the anvil, mechanism movable toward the anvil including means for centering the work on the anvil, and means for then pressing the work-engaging member into engagement with one of said flanges, and a lost-motion connection between said centering means and said pressing means.

GEORGE SPA'I'IA. 

